


Bible Study

by boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore



Series: Service to the state [2]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Angst, Bible, Insecure Julian, M/M, Shir HaShirim | Song of Songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-04-30 11:16:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14495760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore/pseuds/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore
Summary: Julian attempts to compare Cardassian Romance literature with the bible.  A short and angsty sequel to Service to the state, set a few weeks after the original story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Savorybreakfasts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savorybreakfasts/gifts).



Julian sat at Garak’s table, drinking tea and snacking on the scones he’d talked Garak into making.  They’d been on a baking kick, and despite his protestations, Julian could tell that Garak too found the scones heavenly. 

He closed his eyes in pleasure; there were definite advantages in having a boyfriend with a full kitchen.

Returning his attention to their conversation, he heard Garak say, “It’s patently ridiculous.  Absurd. Have you even read the work?”

Julian rolled his eyes in exasperation.  He'd brought a selection from the Song of Songs to dinner that night, and Garak was incredulous at Julian’s explanation of the various religious interpretations of the text.

He continued, “The descriptions of the lovers. They're so explicit.  Anyone with any sense can see it's a story of ordinary courtship and sex.  Where's the religious metaphor? Did ancient Judeo-Christian religions revere physical pleasure?”

“How can you say that!  Your sample of  _ Cardassian _ literature has scenes in it we’ll be experimenting with for months.  Not that I’m complaining! Yet those romances symbolize something  _ important,  _ and the beautiful depictions of the lovers in the Tanakh are simply literal and ordinary?  God, you are so arrogant sometimes!”

Garak knew that Julian was trying.  Religion wasn’t big in Julian’s family; having a father who played god made him a bit skeptical about a benevolent, omniscient creature.  Julian was loath to admit it, but it often seemed he’d internalized his father’s disdain for organized religion.

Garak said mildly, “My book is an offering to the state.  A giving over of one’s body and a sacrifice of individualism.  The acts described in it are a letting go of physical pleasure.”

Julian looked mutinous, and Garak held up his arms in surrender.

“My dear, what is it?   You’re hardly a fan of earth religions – or any religion, for that matter.  Why is this upsetting you to such a degree?”

Silence.  Garak moved behind him, reached his arms around Julian’s chest and pulled him in.  Garak felt him tremble a bit. 

“Tell me,” he said softly.

Julian looked down.

“It’s stupid.”

Garak waited patiently.

“We never had much use for religion in my family.  If my father had believed in a god, he certainly wouldn’t have been so quick to tamper with their work.”

Garak nodded; this wasn’t anything new. 

“When I first came to the station, all of sudden religion was everywhere.  I was unprepared for how thoroughly the prophets were entrenched in even the most basic facets of Bajoran culture.  Working with Major Kira was fascinating. I’d never met anyone with that level of faith.”

Julian moved away, gathering his thoughts as he paced their quarters.  He settled by the window. The stars swayed gently.

“It didn’t change my thoughts about god.  I still think it’s a ridiculous notion.”

Garak’s head jerked up abruptly; he still wasn’t sure how he felt about this.  Garak had never quite sorted through his feelings about Tolan’s beliefs, much less Palendine’s involvement with the Oralian way. He put those thoughts aside as Julian continued. 

“I suppose I’m jealous.  Kira hasn’t had an easy life; far from it.  But I envy the comfort she gets from her faith.  And even you-”

Garak looked up sharply.  Had Julian read his earlier thoughts?

“It scares me how deep your devotion to home has become.  Despite the pain and exile, it’s the one thing you would give up everything for.”

This wasn’t what he had expected.

“I know if you had to choose between that and me, you’d leave me.”

Garak walked to the windows to join him, opened his mouth, and then closed it again, unsure of how to respond.

Eventually he said, “My dear, there’s no need to worry.  It isn’t as if Cardassia is waiting to welcome me back with open arms.”

Julian heard the pain in his words and flinched.   He turned to face Garak, cupped his cheek, kissed him softly.  

“I’m sorry,” he said, and he meant it.

They stood like this for a time, arms intertwined, silently watching the stars, until Julian disentangled himself and walked to the replicator.  

They shared a long, sweet, kiss, and, replicating some popcorn and pouring a couple of glasses of kanar, Julian snuggled up to Garak and brought up a movie on the vid screen.  Garak burrowed into his shoulder and closed his eyes. Perhaps later they could experiment with the more literal interpretations of those religious texts. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Later that evening, Julian reappeared in the living room wearing a long, flowing, wine-colored robe. 

Garak looked dubious.  It flattered Julian, but it was a very odd choice for the evening.

“My dear, didn’t we talk about making new fashion choices together?”

He expected Julian to laugh but instead he gazed at Garak intensely, maintaining eye contact for a long moment.  Garak’s heart beat a little faster. Julian held out a sheer, white piece of lingerie and said, “I want you to wear this tonight.  Just this.”

He was completely serious.  Garak took the garment in his hands, fingers running over it.  It was soft and silky, and pleasant to the touch.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, he undressed, feeling Julian’s eyes on him. They were so intense. 

_ Why was he nervous?  It wasn’t as if Julian had never seen him naked _ .

Garak felt a little silly putting on the nightie, but he did, Julian’s eyes never leaving his body.  He could hear his breathing shallow, but his gaze never wavered.

Julian spoke, softly, reverently.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for thy love is better than wine.”

_ What? _

“Draw me, we will run after thee; the king hath brought me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will find thy love more fragrant than wine! Sincerely do they love thee.”

Julian’s lips met his for a long, sweet kiss, and Garak melted into the touch until Julian finally pulled away.

“Thy cheeks are comely with circlets, they neck with beads.  We will make these circlets of gold with studs of silver.”

Julian cupped his face, kissing down his jaw, massaging the ridges on his neck, and Garak moaned as he yet again moved away.

“While the king sat at his table, my spikenard sent forth its fragrance.  My beloved is unto me as a bag of myrrh, that lies betwixt my breasts. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy mouth is comely; thy temples are like a pomegranate split open behind thy veil.”

He inhaled deeply, finding Garak’s familiar musk, then leaned down to kiss his ridges, down his chest, and suck lightly on one nipple and then the other, tracing lazy circles over his chest with his tongue.

Garak groaned as he pulled back yet again.  He made pleading noises, but Julian simply spoke softly.

“My beloved is mine, and I am his, that feedeth among the lilies.  Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, turn my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices.”

At these words, he turned to Garak, removed the negligee, and wordlessly led him to the bed.  Garak tried to speak, but Julian put a finger over his mouth, laying him down, and said in his ear, “Lie still.”

He closed his eyes and felt Julian move on top of him, kissing him deeply.  He pulled back and kissed up his jawbone to his ear, teasing his tongue over the lobe, and kissed down his neck, lingering over each ridge, sucking and flicking his tongue slowly across Garak’s collarbone.

Garak began to squirm, and Julian gently pushed him down, soft reminding him to be still, and continued his work.

He moved down Garak’s chest to circle his nipples, flicking his tongue over them, gently sucking, and buried his face in Gark’s chest, breathing deeply, moving so slowly it was almost unbearable.

Julian raised his head and his hands found Garak’s stomach, hands caressing gently, nails raking over the bottom, moving down slowly, achingly slowly, and still with infuriatingly gentle strokes.

“Behold, it is the litter of Solomon; threescore mighty men are about it, the might men of Israel.  They all handle the sword, and are expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of dread in the night.”

Garak took in a sharp breath as Julian leaned over to caress his thighs, moving his hands to handle Garak’s cock, squeezing, stroking, softly running his hands over its length.   He squeezed the balls, hard, then let go, and Garak suddenly found it hard to breathe.

“I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk.  Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.”

Julian took Garak in his mouth, licking and flicking and sucking, and he moaned loudly, almost whimpering as Julian once again pulled away. 

Julian lifted up his robe and lined up his entrance with Garak’s swollen cock.  Garak saw the plug as he removed it; Julian had come prepared. As he rode Garak, fast and hard, gasping, until Garak cried out in pleasure.

He shuddered as his own orgasm came and he spoke.

“My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart was moved for him.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
